Too Sick For School?

Early in the morning
is often a difficult time to make the decision whether or not your child is too
sick to go to school. With minor symptoms you often cannot tell if they are
going to get better or worse during the course of the day. Our mission is
to keep your child safe, healthy and in school so that they do not miss the
instruction needed for educational success.

The main reasons for
keeping your child home are:

1) They are too sick
to be comfortable at school, or

2) They might spread a
contagious disease to other children.

As a rule of thumb, a
child who has a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, a very frequent cough, persistent
pain (ear, stomach, headache, etc.), or a wide-spread rash should stay home.
Most of these problems need to be discussed with your child’s health care
provider to determine if an office visit is needed.

On the other hand,
children who don’t have a fever and only have a mild cough, runny nose, or
other cold symptoms can be sent to school without any harm to themselves or
others. The following guidelines may help in you decision-making process:

• Runny or
stuffy nose - If your child is exhibiting the classic symptoms of a
mild head cold (runny or stuffy nose, slight cough and watery eyes) but does
not have a fever, there is no reason they can’t go to school. Be sure to
instruct your child to take proper hygienic precautions to prevent sharing the
germs with her classmates, including frequent hand washing, covering their
mouth when coughing or sneezing, and refraining from sharing eating and
drinking utensils.

• Fever (over
100.0 degrees) is an important symptom. While you can treat the fever, and
usually make the child feel better temporarily, the cause of the fever (and the
risk of passing an illness to others) is still there. Your child should be
fever-free for 24 hours (without medication) before sending him
back to school. Remember to only give children under age 18 Tylenol
(acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen). Never give ASPIRIN.

• Severe cough -
Children with bad coughs need to stay home, and possibly see a doctor. A bad
cough can be a symptom of bronchitis, flu, or pneumonia. Once the child is
feeling better, though, send her back to school; don’t wait for the cough to
disappear completely, as that could take a week or longer.

• Sore throat --
A minor sore throat is usually not a problem, but a severe sore throat could be
strep throat – even if there is no fever (other symptoms of strep throat in
children are headache and stomach upset). Keep your child home from school, and
contact a doctor. Your child needs a special test to determine if it is strep
throat. If he has strep, he can return to school 24 hours after antibiotic
treatment begins.

• Diarrhea and
vomiting make a child very uncomfortable. A single episode of
vomiting, without any other symptoms, may not be reason enough for the child to
miss school. PLEASE be sure the school can reach you if symptoms occur again
during the day. A single episode of watery diarrhea warrants staying home. It
could be very embarrassing and uncomfortable for your child to have another
episode while in school. If diarrhea or vomiting are persistent or are
accompanied by fever, rash, or general weakness, consult your physician and
keep the child out of school until the illness passes.

• Flu is
a contagious virus that usually occurs in the winter months. Symptoms include
body aches, high fever, chills, congestion, sore throat, and in some children,
vomiting. The child should stay at home until these symptoms subside, usually
5-7 days. Consult your child’s doctor for treatment suggestions to make your
child more comfortable.

• Ear
infections can cause great discomfort and often fever, but are not
thought to be contagious to others. The child should see his doctor for
diagnosis and treatment and should stay home if they have fever or pain.

• Pink eye or
conjunctivitis can be caused by a virus, bacteria, or allergy. The
first two are very contagious. The eye will be reddened, and a cloudy or yellow
discharge is usually present. The eye may be sensitive to light. Consult with
you child’s doctor to see if antibiotics are needed. Again, the child should
stay at home until symptoms subside and they have been on antibiotics at least
24 hours.

• Rash --
Children with a skin rash should see a doctor, as this could be one of several
infectious diseases. One type of rash often seen in school is ringworm.
Ringworm is a contagious fungal infection that has nothing to do with worms.
The name comes from the characteristic red ring that can appear on an infected
person’s skin. Ringworm can be treated with fungus-killing cream applied
directly to the affected area on the body. The child should remain at home
until treatment has begun. The affected area must be covered with a Band-Aid
while in school.

All of these illnesses
can be easily spread, both in school and at home. Keep in mind that hand
washing is the single most important thing you can teach your child to do that
will help prevent the spread of infections.

Remember to always
make sure that the school knows how to reach you during the day and that there
is a back-up plan and phone number on file in case you cannot be reached.

Whenever there is
doubt in your mind about sending your child to school, consult your child’s
doctor before doing so. A phone consultation may be all that is necessary, or
your doctor may need to see the child in the office. This is an information
sheet only and is not meant to be used for diagnosis or as a substitute for
consultation with your health care provider. Please feel free to call me
with any questions or concerns!

The mission of the Washington Township Public Schools is to provide a safe, positive, and progressive environment that provides opportunity for all students to attain the knowledge and skills specified in the New Jersey Student Learning Standards at all grade levels, as to ensure their full participation in an ever changing world as responsible, self-directed, and civic-minded citizens.